The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) intends to issue a Request for Applications (RFA) for the following award: Viral and Host Genetic Factors Regulating HIV-Associated CNS Disease. This award seeks to support studies focused on viral and host genetic factors involved in HIV-1 Associated Neurocognitive Disorders (HAND) in the setting of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART). Recent clinical studies indicate that over 50% of HIV-infected patients manifest HAND despite receiving HAART. The focus of this initiative is to encourage studies to discover novel genetic paradigms that may account for the interactions between the host, the virus, and the therapeutic drugs in the central nervous system (CNS) that result in the pathogenesis, progression, and clinical manifestations of HAND. The use of state-of-the-art genetic approaches (including transcriptomics, phenomics, epigenomics, whole genome association studies, deep sequencing, exome sequencing, & systems biology) to identify and validate (including in vitro models, animal models, & human samples) viral and host genetic factors that influence the pathophysiology of HAND are encouraged.

This Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to develop meaningful collaborations and responsive projects.

The RFA is expected to be published in the summer of 2010. This RFA will utilize the R21 award mechanism.